A new study has found 44 UK cities and towns have dangerous levels of air pollution.

The findings, discovered by researchers from the Royal College of Physicians, signify degrees of ‘PM2.5’– microscopic particles suspended in the air — are all over and above recommended amounts in many metropolitan locations.

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Even the World Health Organisation states PM2.5 levels shouldn’t exceed 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air, but moderate concentrations of these particles at Glasgow and Scunthorpe were 16 micrograms per cubic metre at 2016, whilst mean amounts in London, Leeds, Southampton and Salford were listed at 15 micrograms per cubic metre within the exact same period.

Of those 51 cities and towns at the ambient air pollution database of the World Health Organisation, 44 breached recommended constraints in 2016, together with inhabitants one of those in Birmingham, Bristol, Eastbourne, Leeds and Manchester. Individuals living in Bournemouth, Sunderland, Aberdeen and Reading, meanwhile, will be able to find out their home cities met or undercut recommended PM2.5 amounts.

PM2.5 particles have been described as solid or liquid particles under 2.5 microns in diameter that are suspended in the air. These particles are created by any number of resources, but research suggests road transport is responsible for a significant proportion of kerbside PM2.5 amounts. Excessive concentrations of these particles is associated with several health ailments, including respiratory ailments and illness such as asthma.

The report authors stated initiatives that aim to undertake urban pollution — such as that the recently-introduced T-Charge at London – were “much needed”, but Dr Toby Hillman, one of the researchers behind the study, cautioned: “we know the effects of poor air quality operate out of cradle to grave; it’s a life threat to human health.”

WHO’s UK ambient air pollution set

Town/city

Mean 2016 PM2.5 amounts (μg/m3)

Glasgow

16

Scunthorpe

16

Eastbourne

15

Leeds

15

London

15

Salford

15

Southampton

15

Armagh

14

Birmingham

14

Cardiff

14

Chepstow

14

Gibraltar

14

Oxford

14

Port Talbot

14

Portsmouth

14

Stanford-le-Hope

14

Stoke-on-Trent

14

Thurrock

14

Warrington

14

Bristol

13

Leamington Spa

13

Manchester

13

Newport

13

Norwich

13

Wigan

13

Belfast

12

Carlisle

12

Hull

12

Liverpool

12

Nottingham

12

Plymouth

12

Prestonpans

12

Swansea

12

York

12

Birkenhead

11

Brighton

11

Londonderry

11

Middlesbrough

11

Saltash

11

Southend-on-Sea

11

Chesterfield

10

Newcastle upon Tyne

10

Reading

10

Stockton-on-Tees

10

Wrexham

10

Aberdeen

9

Bournemouth

9

Grangemouth

9

Sunderland

9

Edinburgh

8

Inverness

6

Is the city or town to the list? What should be done in order to decrease air pollution? Join the debate in the remarks section below…